Forget Samsung's Galaxy a phone - Nokia has a new lineup of ultra-cheap models

Forget Samsung's Galaxy a phone - Nokia has a new lineup of ultra-cheap models

A day after Samsung launched its five mid-range Galaxy A series phones in the U.S., ranging from $110 to $499, HMD Global announced Nokia's budget handsets. And HMD Global managed to overtake Samsung by announcing six handsets that will ship soon in Europe and North America.

The latest Nokia phones are not going to overwhelm anyone with their specs - these are cheap phones, after all. But with these new phones, HMD Global is focusing on long battery life and support for Android users to make their phones last longer. And of course, HMD Global, which manufactures and sells phones under the Nokia brand, is hoping that the price of these half-dozen phones will be a big draw.

That said, it remains to be seen how much U.S. shoppers will be willing to pay for any of these new phones, as HMD Global plans to reveal that information at a later date, along with U.S. sales. However, we do know the price range in Euros, with models averaging between €75 and €349, and these are clearly models designed with budget-focused shoppers in mind.

Another thing worth noting about these six new Nokia phones is that HMD has added a letter to the mix and introduced a new naming scheme. These phones will be released as the new Nokia X, G, and C series. And while the letters themselves may not be very evocative, they at least distinguish the devices more clearly than the current reliance on numbers, where shoppers were expected to tell the difference between a Nokia 5.3 and a Nokia 5.4.

Here is what we know about Nokia's latest device, which will be released in the US later this year.

The "X" in Nokia's X series is meant to suggest "extra" as these are the top of the line budget devices offered by HMD Global The Nokia X10 and Nokia X20 will receive monthly security updates, plus three years of Android updates will be provided.

A 4,470 mAh battery powers both Nokia X models with 6.67-inch screens, and HMD Global says the battery life can last up to two days under normal use.

A Snapdragon 480 system-on-chip is also included in both the Nokia X10 and Nokia X20. This chipset includes 5G compatibility and is set to increase the number of affordable 5G phones, priced at about 309 euros for the X10 and 349 euros for the X20.

The main difference between the two X series phones is the camera. The main lens is more powerful on the X20 with 64 MP compared to the X10's 48 MP. Otherwise, both models have a 5 MP ultra-wide shooter, augmented by a depth sensor and a macro sensor; the X20 also supports a multi-camera mode that allows users to shoot video from different angles simultaneously.

The Nokia X20 will arrive in May and will be available in Midnight Sun and Nordic Blue; the X10 will begin shipping a month later and will be available in Frost and Snow.

HMD Global sees the G series as having broader appeal, and the prices of the Nokia G20 and Nokia G10 certainly reflect that. The former will sell for about 159 euros and the G10 for 139 euros.

The hot topic here is the battery, which is larger than the X series; with a 5050mAh power pack, both the G20 and G10 can be used for up to three days, according to HMD Global.

The Nokia G20 has the more impressive camera setup of the two models, with a 48MP main lens and 5MP ultrawide shooter, macro sensor and depth sensor; the G10 has a 13MP rear, augmented by a dedicated macro lens and depth sensor. It makes do with a camera.

Otherwise, the two phones are largely identical, with the MediaTek G25 running the show and a 6.5-inch HD+ display providing screen real estate.

Like the X series, the G20 and G10 debut with Android 11, where two years of software updates will be offered.

The Nokia G20 will arrive in May and offer Night and Glacier color options. The G10 will ship a month early and will have a Night option as well, but will add Dusk.

Expect these Nokia C phones, which Nokia sees as ideal for upgrading from feature phones, to be priced under $100; the Nokia C20 will ship in June for €89 and the €75 Nokia C10 will appear this month.

With a removable 3,000 mAh battery, expect the battery to last all day. These phones come with a slimmed-down Go edition of Android 11 and two years of quarterly security updates.

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